This is only about Richard/Dick/Nightwing's thoughts while wearing the Red X suit and following Starfire.


I'll kill him. I'll kill him, I'll kill him, I'll kill him. Dick paces back and forth on the rooftop across from the movie theater. He can't believe that Roy (ugh, he can't believe she calls him that!) took her to a horror movie! There's no way she's going to be able to sleep for a week. God, if it were him, he'd have offered to take her to that chick flick he saw a preview for. As much as he doesn't like them, he'd never ask Starfire to see a horror movie.

Dick watched them, jumping from roof top to roof top and teleporting when needed, following them to that five star restaurant that playboy Bruce takes his ladies to. They conveniently opt for an outdoor table, allowing Dick to continue his spying. Sure, he realizes that if Star found out about him trailing around, she'd be pissed. He also realizes that this could be considered incredibly creepy, and a bit obsessive. But he sees it as protecting his girl until she comes to her senses. And maybe throwing in a little sabotage. But from what he can see, Roy is already ruining this himself.

He watches as Starfire's face changes. At the start of their conversation, she seemed happy. Well, that pissed him off. She laughed with him as he told a funny story. Then he noticed that she was trying to tell a story herself, only to be cut off by another one of his never-ending tales. Slowly, as he continued to interrupt her with his own thoughts, he watched her expression change from intrigue to annoyance. But Roy couldn't see that she was annoyed. No, only someone who had the time to study her facial expressions could see what she hid underneath that pleasant smile. What he wouldn't give to tell him to shut the hell up and let her speak. What he wouldn't give to be Roy right now, sitting across from her.

Then, he watched as Roy reached his hand across the table to take Starfire's. And she let him! Anger flared through him as he saw Roy's smug grin, still talking about himself of course. But sadness clutched at his heart seeing that Starfire could hold another guy's hand. He wanted to be angry at her. It would make things so much easier if he could just be mad at her. But he knows that this is all his fault.

Why couldn't he just shut Barbara out, too? Yeah, that sounds terrible. He probably would've lost her as a friend. But then when Starfire came back, they could've been together. He could be holding her hand right now.

What did he just ask her? Her face fell, eyes look glassy. He sees her speak, face void of emotion. He hurt her. Or upset her. He said something that made her closed off. He stands up on his roof top, pacing around again. Why is she with this asshole?!

Oh, they're getting up. Roy grabs a hold of her hand as he walks her down the side walk. Looks like he's chatting her up again, while she stays silent. Probably just pretending to listen. He can tell by the look on her face. She's thinking about something.

He gets down from the roof, trailing behind them as they walk into the park. There are enough trees here to keep him hidden. He waits until they take a seat at a bench before he picks a tree to climb. There he sits, watching as the girl he loves sits with Roy across from a beautiful fountain. He doesn't have to hear her words; her smile tells him he loves the site. Dick keeps his eyes locked on that smile, wishing it were for him. He stared at her so long, so hard, that he almost didn't notice Roy.

What the hell is he doing?! He watches as Roy leans in toward Starfire, while she leans away. He wraps his fingers around her arm, holding her still. She tries to jerk away, and Dick knows she's holding back her strength. Come on, Star, punch him!

Dick jumps from the tree, moving silently closer to the two. Just as Roy, reaching for Starfire's face, leans in wayyyy too close to her, he ejects an X shaped restraint from his palm. He watches in amusement as Roy pries at his mouth, trying to remove the constriction.

"I really don't think she wants you to kiss her, big boy." Dick smirks under his mask as Roy looks up at him, face of pure fear. Yeah, you're nothing without those arrows. Starfire jerks her head around to look at him, eyes widening when she sees him as Red X. She opens and closes her mouth as if she wants to speak, but doesn't know what to say. "Get lost, man." says Dick. Roy scrambles up from the bench, leaving Starfire alone. Wow, some hero. What if he was, like, a rapist or something? Roy doesn't know that Starfire is safe. That it's Dick beneath the mask.

"I do not need your protection, Red X," says Starfire as she gets up from the bench, walking away. Dick reaches towards her, grabbing her arm. She looks back at him, nostrils flaring. "Do not touch me!"

"I think I deserve a 'thanks'," says Dick.

She huffs. "Thank you. Now I must go."

"Why in such a hurry?" he asks. He walks behind her, keeping her pace.

"I must go home." While he's glad that she knows no to talk to strangers, he doesn't want her to go yet.

"You're a big girl. You can stay out as long as you like." Come on, Star, stay with me. Just for a little while.

"But I am ready to go home now."

"Come on. Let's sit down, have a chat. Get to know each other a little?" Sounds like something Red X would say. He yanks on her arm, pulling her back to him. Oh, he scent blows toward him. She smells of lavender and vanilla. Okay Dick, stop smelling her. He lifts her arm and grabs her hand. "Hologram ring," he says. He pulls it off, revealing his true Starfire. "I'd know your voice anywhere, cutie."

"Give it back," she says, fighting with him for the ring. He pulls his arm back, keeping it from her reach.

"Only if you agree to a date." She makes a 'hmph' sound, walking away from him. "Come on now, do you really want to be seen?" asks Dick. She keeps walking. What can he say to make her stop? "Does Nightwing know you're back?"

"Yes, he does," she calls back to him, still walking. Dick keeps following her, jogging a little to keep closer to her.

"Does he know you were out with that bozo?"

She walks a little slower then. "I did the 'dropping of the hint'. He probably knows." He smiles under his mask at the way she speaks. He missed that so much.

"How would he feel about that guy making a move on you?" Well, he feels so unbelievably pissed.

She walks even slower. "He would be most upset," she says quietly. What an understatement.

"It would be a shame if he found out."

"There is no way that he could," she says, slightly turning towards him. He can see her face shows some fear. Of course she doesn't want him to find out. She knows I'd kill Roy. And knowing her, she probably still wants to keep going on dates with him. He could tell that she was hopeful while he watched them together. Hoping that maybe after a while, she would be able to stand him more.

Dick actually laughs at her at the thought. "You're still going to see him again, aren't you?" he asks through his chuckles. She turns to glare at him.

"It is none of your business, X." Part of him is glad she's being so cold with him. That's how he would want her to act if it were really Red X. But right now, he just wants to be with her. Talk to her.

"Well I'll just have to make it my business." Think like Red X… "Can't have a cutie like you being attacked by a loser like him." Dick hands her back her holoring.

"I was not attacked." She takes it swiftly from his hand and walks again.

"Yeah, you kinda were," he says. Roy was, like, groping at her!

"It does not matter. You know that I can take care of myself." Well I thought you could, until I witnessed that.

"But you were just letting him do that to you. I don't get it, cutie."

"It is not your place to 'get it'."

"Even so, I think Nightwing should know."

"What makes you think Nightwing would care?" Oh Star, I do care.

"I'm a guy. I know other guy's."

"You are a thief. You know nothing of Nightwing."

"Chuckles and I share a special connection," he says, tapping on his belt.

"You share nothing."

"We could share you." Wow, didn't even have to think that one through.

"Stop talking to me!" He chuckles quietly. She does have funny reactions.

"Hey, cutie, you're talking to me, too," says Dick.

Starfire lets out a frustrated groan. "What is it that you want with me, X." Not X, Richard. Please, I just want you to want me again.

"Me. You. A Date. Or I'll let it slip to Nightwing that you're new little boyfriend is a fan of domestic violence." He just wants her to spend some time with him. Even if he has to be Red X. Could he possibly convince her?

"No deal." Of course not.

"Fine, how about we just talk for a little while? I could use some company."

"Do you not have any criminal friends?"

"I work alone," he says, moving in front of her and walking backwards. HE stares at her beautiful face for a moment, wishing that he could brush her cheek. Tuck her hair behind her ear. He tries to clear his head, reaching for her and presses on his teleporter. He took them to a familiar rooftop. From here, she should know how to get home.

She makes an "oof," as she lands on the roof top on her bottom. Dick stands over her, smiling under his mask and trying to restrain his laughter. She's just so damn cute.

"Do not laugh at me," she says as she pushes herself up. Dick offers her his hand, but she denies it of course. He doesn't let it hurt his ego. He's Red X, not Richard. But she'd probably deny Richard too.

"Not laughing, I swear." Well, he's trying not to laugh.

"It is getting dark," she says. She looks about the roof, hair blowing behind her as the wind catches it. He sees her expression change as she gazes into the darkness on the roof.

"Afraid of the dark?" She always had to sleep with the light on after a scary movie. Or he'd have to sleep with her. Not that he minded, of course. He missed their nights together.

"Only after horror films," she says. She suddenly has an annoyed look on her face, but she also seems to be deep in though. Then she says, "Is there any way you could not sound like that?"

He chuckles, but at the same time, he wishes that she wanted to hear his voice. "Sorry, cutie. Your ex-boyfriend put his voice in my suit. It's meant to stay there." Yes, he said that on purpose. What will she say?

"Not my ex-boyfriend." Oh, thank God.

"But you just said-"

"Not my boyfriend either," she snaps grumpily. Damn.

"How confusing. Wanna talk about it?" he asks. Please, please, please… talk to me. She looks at him incredulously. "What?" he asks, acting innocent. "Let's bond a little. Tell me about your problems."

"I do not want to tell you anything."

"Fine then, deal's off." He presses a button on his belt, which displays a hologram in front of him. The hologram displays images of Starfire and Roy on the bench. If she kept watching, she would see that it played out his entire attempted rape. God, he hated that guy.

Starfire gasps at the sight. "You would not!"

"I promised I would." He presses the button again, making it disappear. He almost didn't notice when she lunged at him, grabbing for the belt. Oh God, her hand just grazed him there. "Jeez," he says while dodging her hits. "Why is this so important?" But he knew why.

"He will do the rubbing of it in my face," she says as she beings to launch star bolts at his waist. What? I would never do that. Okay, I might. But only because this whole situation bugs the shit out of me.

"Hey now," he says. He presses a button on his belt that releases a net overtop of her. She tugs at it, growling. He loved that growl. "Stop struggling," he says. After a few minutes, she lets out this frustrated scream. "You done?" he asks. She doesn't say anything. "If you promise not to hit me with your green things, I'll let you out."

She huffs. "Fine."

"Good girl." He presses another button, removing the net.

She stands up, dusting herself off. He wondered if she knew the effect she had on him. It was so hard to pretend to be someone else. But if he told her it was him, she'd never forgive him. And probably beat the shit out of him. He watches her face as she looks up at the sky. "I missed the sunset," she says. His heart flutters. She still watched the sunset? Did she think of him while she did?

"Okay?" he says questioningly, pretending to have no idea why she said that.

"You would not understand, X."

"Make me understand." He takes a small step toward her that went unnoticed. She just shakes her head.

"Why are you in Gotham?"

"Personal business," he says. He realized that he didn't come up with a reason for why he was in town. Damn it.

"I would not understand?"

"You're a hero. Why would I tell you?" There, that works. Secrecy.

"Why would I tell you about my relationships?" she retorts. Touché.

"Because I'm curious."

"Not a good enough reason."

"Well that's all I got."

Silence spreads over them. She looks out over Gotham he looks at her discretely. He sees slight movement from her head, noticing that she was looking at him. .

"Checkin' me out there, cutie?" Dick asked her.

Starfire clears her throat. Ah ha, so she was. Look at that blush spread over her cheeks. "Do not do the flattering of yourself. I am just making sure you are not going to try to attack me."

"And why would I do that?"

"You are a bad guy. A bad guy who kidnapped me and brought me up onto this roof." She jerks her head around in all directions, checking out her surroundings. "I have no idea where I am."

"Wayne Enterprises." He says, jabbing his thumb back behind them. She must not have noticed the giant letters that spelled out WAYNE.

"I see," she says. "I must leave now, X."

"Awe, why so soon?" His heart drops. He doesn't want her to go yet. "We were just starting to open up."

She laughs at him. A throw your head back kind of laugh. "I do not think so." He watches her as she moves toward the edge of the building. Crap. He's out of ideas.

"You're really leaving?" he asks. She nods. Damn. "Fine. But I'll be on the lookout for you. I don't want to see you with that guy again." He tries to be stern with her, making her know that he's not kidding.

"It is not your place to tell me who I can and cannot see." She crosses her arms, pouting.

"Maybe not, but I know someone who has a powerful hold over you." Dick taps on his belt again. He knows that he's talking about, well, himself. Hopefully there's enough fear there that it'll keep her from seeing Roy again. But he doubts it. He takes one last, long look at her. Then he gives a two finger salute and presses on his teleporter. He's got to get back to the manor before she does.

He lands back in his room, and quickly changes out of the uniform. Seeing that he might need it again soon, he keeps it in the back of his closet. He puts on some normal civilian clothes, keeping his mask on of course. He thinks back to what Starfire said. About how she didn't deserve his eyes. His heart breaks at the effort she's going through to get over him, and to stay away from him in general. How he wish she would just give in to his love. But this decision that he's made by donning the Red X suit… it shows that he will stop at nothing to get her back.